Power panel to tackle what’s really moving markets in 2026
Moderating the session is Amanda Deveaux, partner at Grechi Carter Professional Corporation and a deputy judge in small claims court in Ontario, who acts for lenders on real estate and lending matters.
A market shaped by fear, not just figures
The numbers tell part of the story. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), drawing on Equifax data, has flagged growing vulnerabilities in high-priced markets including Toronto and Vancouver, and among pandemic-era, highly leveraged buyers.
Regions with heavy tariff exposure face compounding risks, with job losses already evident in targeted industries.
The Bank of Canada has held its overnight rate at 2.25% since October 2025, and economists at RBC Economics, CIBC, and Scotiabank expect no further cuts through 2026, with some flagging the possibility of an upward move if US tariff pressures push inflation beyond current forecasts.
That paralysis is the practical reality the panel will address. Sherry Cooper, chief economist at Dominion Lending Centres (DLC), a national mortgage brokerage network headquartered in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, has emerged as one of the most prominent voices on the question of whether and when buyers re-engage.
